Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen noted on Friday that the Patriotic Alliance’s (PA’s) actions in Nelson Mandela Bay this week have showed why the party does not belong in the Multi-Party Charter.

Steenhuisen said in a statement the DA had come under pressure to accept the PA into the Charter, a pre-election agreement sealed last week between seven opposition parties – the DA, Inkatha Freedom Party, ActionSA, the United Independent Movement, Freedom Front Plus, Spectrum National Party and the Independent South African National Civic Organisation – to get the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) out of power come the elections in 2024.

Last week, the PA was reported to be considering leaving its coalitions with the ANC to try to score an invite to join the Charter.

On Tuesday, the PA voted against the motion of no confidence in Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Gary van Niekerk, a National Alliance (NA) member; following a vote by the 119 councillors present, 57 voted for the removal of the mayor and 62 against.

The DA said the PA had had a chance to vote to remove the ANC and its proxy, the NA, from power in Nelson Mandela Bay, but instead voted with the ANC/EFF/NA coalition.

“Actions speak louder than words. This week, the PA’s actions yet again told us exactly what kind of party they are: a party that puts their own interests first, a party for sale to the highest bidder, and a party that does not subscribe to the shared governing principles that the signatories to the Multi-Party Charter have pledged fealty to,” Steenhuisen said.

He explained that the principles of the Charter bound the signatories to a new political axis.

He added that it would also be the ideological foundation for achieving the Charter’s vision of a new government for a just, inclusive and prosperous South Africa based on opportunity, freedom and security for all of its citizens.

“By aligning itself with the ANC and EFF, and through their corruption and cadre deployment in Beaufort West and Knysna, the PA has made crystal clear its disregard for every one of these principles. By their own actions, they have told South Africa they do not belong in the Charter,” said Steenhuisen.